Water Is A Utility We Forget—Until It’s Gone

It’s been nearly a month since Hurricane Helene struck Asheville on September 27th, yet our hearts remain with every resident facing the aftermath.

THE DEVASTATION IN ASHEVILLE.

As a proud lifelong resident of North Carolina, I have a strong connection to Asheville and the city's challenges from Hurricane Helene. My family’s roots run deep in North Carolina—my grandfather, father, myself, my children, and now my granddaughter were all born in this beautiful state. Growing up in Charlotte and studying in Durham shaped my journey as we built a company in Charlotte. Millions of folks in North Carolina and around the world cherish the stunning Appalachian Mountains, especially the vibrant spirit of Asheville.

We have an incredible employee in Asheville whose family is safe and has returned home. However, despite having electricity, gas, and Internet, they have no water. This means they must rely on bottled water for drinking and use gray water from trucks to flush their toilets. Taking a shower is also a challenge.

This situation sparked my curiosity about the reliance of both our homes and commercial buildings on centralized water utilities. It’s fascinating to think about how water has become essential and has shaped modern commercial real estate. This remarkable journey was driven by leaders who embraced innovation despite facing uncertainty.

What initially struck my curiosity about water as a utility was a recent update on the connection of the North Fork’s 36-inch bypass line to Asheville’s water distribution system—a significant step in restoring water after the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Yet, as highlighted in this WFMY article , full repairs are still months away, with many residents waiting for the simple comfort of turning on a tap and seeing water flow. This image of a modern-day community relying on gray water trucks while infrastructure is slowly rebuilt is a powerful reminder of how vital—and vulnerable—our water systems truly are. Seeing these images was a stark reminder of how much we rely on utilities and how vulnerable we are when they fail. The North Carolina governor recently announced that it would cost over $53 billion to repair western North Carolina.

THIS CHALLENGE IS FAR FROM NEW.

The history of centralized water utilities stretches back millennia, showing how every generation has faced the need to provide this vital resource. The concept of centralized water utilities dates to ancient Rome, around 312 BC when the Aqua Appia was constructed to bring water to the city.[2] This aqueduct spanned 10.19 miles (16.4 km), almost all its length running underground before entering the city. This early innovation laid the foundation for the convenient access to clean water that we often take for granted today.

Fast forward to the 19th century, when major cities like New York began constructing their own aqueducts. One notable example is the Croton Aqueduct , which started supplying water in 1842.[3] This project was a remarkable engineering achievement. It featured a masonry dam on the Croton River in northwestern Westchester County, a 40.5-mile (65 km) long gravity-fed aqueduct, and two reservoirs in Manhattan.

The Croton Water Supply System was a prototype for subsequent water supply projects in New York City and worldwide, including the Catskill and Delaware water supply systems, which currently provide about 90 percent of New York City's drinking water.

These early utilities were met with skepticism. Many questioned whether centralized water infrastructure was worth the investment, thinking private wells and cisterns were sufficient. It wasn’t until widespread outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera that city officials and property owners realized the value of a reliable water supply.

OUR MODERN RELIANCE ON THE WATER UTILITY.

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that the average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water daily , and around 70% of this usage is indoors[4]. This statistic shows how water has transitioned from a luxury to an essential part of our built environment, from homes to commercial real estate. It highlights our dependence on centralized water systems for daily operations—something we often don’t think about until they suddenly become unavailable, as many in Asheville are experiencing now.

For commercial real estate, water isn’t just about keeping taps running. It’s about ensuring tenant comfort, maintaining property value, and supporting critical building systems like cooling towers and heating systems. Water became a utility that no property manager, asset manager, or facility manager could ignore. It has become a cornerstone of building operations, shaping the design and scale of modern office buildings, retail centers, high-rise apartments, industrial sites, and essentially any contemporary structure.

“BY FAILING TO PREPARE, YOU ARE PREPARING TO FAIL.” — BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

As we reflect on the journey of water from a Roman aqueduct to the systems we rely on today, it’s clear that each chapter has taught us the importance of adapting to change. Every innovation—water, gas, or electricity—faced its share of doubts before becoming indispensable. Today, as Asheville’s community works to restore its water supply, we are reminded of our resilience and how fundamental these systems are to our everyday lives.

This moment in Asheville reminds us that our built environment is always evolving. As new challenges arise, we rely on a blend of time-tested solutions and fresh perspectives to keep our communities and buildings running smoothly. History has shown us that progress requires embracing new ways of thinking, even when imagining their full impact is difficult. Perhaps, the most valuable lesson is that we can better prepare for what comes next by learning from the past.

To every family in Asheville facing this hardship, our thoughts are with you. Your resilience and strength remind us of what it means to come together in tough times.

David King, CEM, PEM Adam McClung Anderson Ellis Sunny Dublick Kelsey Helveston Andy Schonberger Tesh Patel Susanne (Desch) Gilani Kristin Murchison Grant Murchison Chris Pyke Gerry Hamilton David Stephenson, CFM Fran West Eric J Larsen Terry Martin Jr. Rob Phocas Devon Newton, RPA, LEED GA John Cranfill Art McCann Ted Mueller Greg Hoogerland Leigh Ann Mantecon Michael Magee Darryl Benson Andrew Fiore